Getting started is half the battle

I am looking out the window at several inches of wet snow on my driveway knowing that it must be cleared. Sipping my coffee, I’m putting it off – just for a while. There is about an hour of hard work to be done … later.

Is there something in your life that you’re avoiding or are you procrastinating, waiting for ‘a better time’ to deal with it? In my experience, half the work is accomplished just by getting started. On this Monday morning, here is a pointed question – are you putting off the disciplines of our faith?

Are you stuck spiritually-
your prayer life practically non-existent,
your commitment to worship sporadic,
your meditation in the Scripture too often pushed off for more screen time?
Do you need to make some difficult decisions about growing into maturity with Christ Jesus?

Half the battle will be won when you get started on a realistic plan. Too many Christians feel the tug of the Spirit and try to go from 0 to 60 in a day! If you’re not praying at all and you attempt to start with 30 sustained minutes in prayer, I predict you will soon give up. If you haven’t cracked the covers of your Bible, except in church, for years, and you decide to spend an hour a day meditating on the Word, you’re not likely to succeed. Instead, get up 15 minutes earlier and spend that much time with God, with a prayer journal, and a guide to Scripture helping you. Stick with it, through the up’s and down’s, through mornings when it seems like God is a million miles away. Your appetite for Him will grow, your capacity to pray increase. He will begin to reorder the priorities of your life around His.

Replace guilt, a terrible long-term motivator, with vision, which has real staying power. Who does God want you to become? What kind of person do you want to be? Then, get started.

“Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” (Hebrews 6:9-12, NIV)

When God brought you into His family, when He gave you eternal life in Christ, He desired a productive disciple, a person who is truly making a Kingdom difference. The choices you make in the hidden places of your life will become evident, Jesus promised. He said, “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.”

Here is a word from the Word. Spend a few minutes praying your way through Peter’s inspired words. “And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to live a pure and blameless life. And be at peace with God … But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be all glory and honor, both now and forevermore. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:14, 18, NLT)

That snowy driveway is waiting so I’m going to get started clearing it.

May the grace of Jesus bless and guide you,May the wisdom of the Spirit fill your mind,May the eternal care of the Father envelope you today. Amen.